ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Last year, kids at McIntosh Elementary School raised over $600 to help other kids receive new shoes. Today, the favor is returned as hundreds of those kids get new shoes of their own.

In its fourth year, Annie’s Locker chose McIntosh Elementary School for its annual “Share a Pair Fund Drive.” Three hundred pairs of brand new gym shoes were donated to the kids, all to help them participate in gym class, play after school sports, and most importantly to lead a healthy lifestyle. This year Annie’s Locker teamed up with Runner’s Image and Saucony to donate the shoes, as well as SwedishAmerican who donated over 300 pairs of socks.

“It’s great, every year it’s great. You know it’s a positive thing when you see a kid smiling, so there’s nothing negative to say about that,” says Terri Odell, Annie’s Locker Fundraising Chair.

Annie’s Locker started in 2008 to remember a runner who died in 2007 with hopes of getting more people to live a healthy life. Over 2300 pairs of gym shoes have been given out to Rockford kids since 2013.